Crews pull down old Arkansas bridge after implosion failsLITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — It turns out a 93-year-old bridge deemed structurally deficient wasn't so weak after all. Despite triggering explosives to bring down the Broadway Bridge between Little Rock and North Little Rock on Tuesday, a demolition crew needed five hours to fell the structure. Severing the steel arch and bridge deck should have taken about 30 seconds. Arkansas highway department spokesman Danny Straessle says the blasts weakened ...

Family: Former Arkansas Gov. David Pryor, 82, suffers strokeLITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Family members say former Arkansas governor and U.S. Sen. David Pryor is recovering in a hospital after suffering a stroke. The family issued a statement Tuesday saying the 82-year-old Pryor suffered a stroke Monday and underwent surgery "that appears to have been successful." The Democrat was Arkansas' governor from 1975 to 1979, and then served nearly 20 years in the U.S. Senate. He now serves on the board of trustee...

Weekend gunfire in Eudora wounds 3, including 19-month-oldEUDORA — Gunfire has wounded two adults and a 19-month-old child at a home in Eudora in far southeastern Arkansas. The Arkansas State Police says the victims were wounded about 10:50 p.m. Sunday when gunfire outside their residence was directed into their house. The victims were identified as 24-year-old Trent Tuner, 34-year-old Viniki Haney and her child, Truth Turner. The child was airlifted by medical helicopter to Arkansas Children's Hospi...

Lawmakers told to not look for new Arkansas execution methodLITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas attorney general's office warned legislators Monday not to explore alternative execution methods after the state's lethal injection protocol and execution secrecy law were found constitutional by Arkansas' high court. The House Judiciary Committee heard a proposal for an interim study on hypoxia — replacing the oxygen in a person's lungs with an inert gas like nitrogen — as a backup method for executions. But the com...

Faulkner County clerk wants lesser charge in tampering caseCONWAY — An attorney for the Faulkner County clerk who's charged with felony tampering with public records says he will ask a judge to consider a lesser charge in the case. The Log Cabin Democrat (http://bit.ly/2dkoUWr ) reports that Margaret Darter was charged in October 2015 after Faulkner County prosecuting attorney Cody Hiland asked Arkansas State Police to conduct a criminal investigation into the date elected officials filed their Statem...

UALR's law school gets grant for business innovation clinicLITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas at Little Rock's law school has received a $1 million grant to create the state's first business innovation clinic. The grant from the Arkansas Attorney General's Office was announced Friday for UALR's William H. Bowen School of Law. The new clinic will focus on providing business law advice and services to small businesses, nonprofit organizations and others. Law students, under the supervision of a bu...

Arkansas man sentenced to life in death of 90-year-old womanAn Arkansas man who prosecutors say had become obsessed with zombies and wanted to know what it would feel like to kill someone was sentenced to life in prison Friday in the fatal shooting of a 90-year-old woman. A Craighead County jury sentenced Jordan Tarver, 31, of Bay to three life terms, plus 22 years, after finding him guilty earlier in the day of capital murder, kidnapping, aggravated residential burglary, abuse of a corpse, theft of pr...

College enrollment decreases in ArkansasLITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Preliminary data shows the number of students at universities and colleges in Arkansas has dropped nearly 5 percent since fall 2012, partially due to fewer students enrolling at the state's two-year colleges. According to the Arkansas Department of Higher Education, nearly 167,000 students were enrolled at state institutions this fall. In 2012, more than 170,000 students were enrolled. The state's public community coll...

Broadway Bridge demolition requires closure of downtown roadLITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — State highway crews are temporarily shutting down another roadway as workers continue demolishing the Broadway Bridge crossing the Arkansas River. The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department says LaHarpe Boulevard in Little Rock will be closed over the weekend. The roadway, also known as Arkansas 10, will be closed from Arch Street to East Markham Street from Friday at 8 p.m. to Monday at 6 a.m. Last weeke...

Arkansas festival to once again feature turkey dropYELLVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Wild turkeys will be dropped from a plane again this year during a northern Arkansas event that animal rights activists say is cruel to the animals. Marion County judge Terry Ott said the live birds will be dropped at Yellville's Turkey Trot festival Friday and Saturday. The turkeys will not be released directly over attendees. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (http://bit.ly/2e1BNsu ) reported the festival has included a tu...

2 arrested in August shooting death of woman at gas stationNORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Police say two suspects have been arrested for the August shooting death of a North Carolina woman at a gas station in North Little Rock. Sgt. Brian Dedrick says the suspects were arrested about 7 a.m. Tuesday on first-degree murder warrants and are now jailed without bond. Court records do not show that either suspect has been formally charged. The two are suspects in the Aug. 6 shooting of 39-year-old Amy South...

Man charged in Garland County slaying asks for trial delayHOT SPRINGS, Ark. (AP) — Attorneys for a man charged in the killing of a Hot Springs Village police dispatcher have asked a judge to delay his trial. Thirty-three-year-old Kevin Duck has been charged with first-degree murder in the 2011 death of girlfriend, 46-year-old Dawna Natzke. Duck's attorney, Clay Janskey, asked for the trial to be postponed to later this month so a defense expert can analyze cellphone records. Duck has pleaded not guil...

Report: Arkansas revenue down again in SeptemberLITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas' revenue is $32 million below expectations for the first three months of the fiscal year, state revenue officials said Tuesday after sales and corporate income taxes in September dipped below forecast and what was generated last September. The state Department of Finance and Administration said the state's net available revenue in September totaled $515.5 million, which was $500,000 below the same month last y...

Prosecutor to request evaluation of prison guard in standoffDERMOTT, Ark. (AP) — A prosecutor says he will request a mental health evaluation for a prison guard who was arrested after a standoff at a southeastern Arkansas prison. Authorities say the 24-year-old officer barricaded himself inside an observation tower at the Delta Regional Unit in Dermott on Saturday. State police say the guard had access to a rifle and refused orders to leave the tower, leading to the standoff. No shots were fired and no...

University of Arkansas to study Native American remainsLITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — The University of Arkansas System has been awarded nearly $60,000 in federal funds to aid the study of at least 345 sets of American Indian human remains in its possession. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (http://bit.ly/2dy0BYM ) reports that the National Park Service's award was announced last week. The grant money will be used for documentation, consultation and repatriation of remains in the University of Arkansas Mus...

Rule change sets cap on Medicaid group therapy servicesLITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Thousands of Arkansas residents who receive group therapy services through Medicaid will see their sessions capped starting next week after an attempt to repeal the rule change failed. The change will limit patients to 25 one-hour sessions a year. Previously, the state's Medicaid program had no cap on the number of sessions and paid for 90-minute daily sessions. The change goes into effect on Oct. 7. Some lawmakers tri...